2021 Volkswagen Tiguan vs 2021 Nissan Armada

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured clean lines and balanced proportions, which some might have found understated, but it offered a conservative, upscale, and timeless aesthetic. This design was likely to age well, and the SUV was notably large for its class, nearly matching the interior space of a Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento. The Tiguan's upsizing resulted in a roomy interior, accommodating up to seven passengers with an optional third-row seat, though it was best suited for children. The interior combined modern geometric forms with a no-nonsense control layout, though it had some hard plastic elements and flimsy steering wheel stalks. The Tiguan was available in S, SE, and SEL trims, with sporty R-Line variants, and pricing ranged from $25,245 to $39,095.

The 2021 Nissan Armada underwent a significant facelift, aligning its looks with the new Nissan brand design. It was available in S, SV, SL, and Platinum grades, with the Midnight Edition Package exclusive to the SL. The redesigned exterior featured a new grille, fenders, bumpers, and LED lights, giving it a modern yet beefy and athletic appearance. The Armada rode on 18-, 20-, or 22-inch wheels, depending on the trim, and had a full-size spare tire in upper trims. The SUV also sported Nissan's new logo prominently. Despite the updates, the Armada retained some dated traits, especially compared to competitors like the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon. The Midnight Edition Package added dark accents, and new color options were available for 2021.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower at 4,360 rpm and 221 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, sending power to the front wheels by default, with 4Motion AWD available for an additional $1,400 on most models. While the powertrain was adequate, it suffered from turbocharger lag, making the engine feel breathless during passing maneuvers. The Tiguan's nearly 4,000-pound curb weight contributed to this perception. The EPA rated the Tiguan at 25 mpg combined for FWD and 24 mpg for AWD, but real-world testing showed an average of 22.6 mpg for the AWD model. Despite these drawbacks, the Tiguan offered a pleasurable driving experience with light, responsive steering, a compliant ride, and nimble handling, though it struggled with sharper speed bumps and railroad tracks.

The 2021 Nissan Armada was equipped with a 5.6-liter V8 engine delivering 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque when running on premium fuel, paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. The Armada came standard with rear-wheel drive, with automatic four-wheel drive available. Despite its hefty weight, maxing out over 6,000 pounds, the Armada was a capable off-roader with a skid plate, double-wishbone suspension, and Hitachi twin-tube shock absorbers. It had a ground clearance of 9.2 or 9.1 inches, depending on the trim. The Armada's fuel economy was on the low end, with RWD models getting 14 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 16 mpg combined, while 4WD models achieved 13 mpg city, 18 mpg highway, and 15 mpg combined. The Armada offered a smooth highway driving experience, though its turning radius and maneuverability in parking lots were typical for its size. It had a best-in-class towing capacity of 8,500 pounds when properly equipped.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan prioritized comfort with large doors and tall seating hip points for easy entry and exit. The front seats offered a wide range of adjustments, ensuring proper support and excellent visibility. The back seat provided generous legroom and foot space, with air conditioning vents and USB charging ports for passengers. The Tiguan's cargo space varied depending on the presence of the third-row seat, ranging from 33 to 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 65.7 to 73.5 cubic feet with the seats folded. The interior featured a large panoramic sunroof, though storage space was limited. The 40/20/40-split folding rear seat allowed for carrying long items and four passengers simultaneously.

The 2021 Nissan Armada, as Nissan's flagship SUV, offered practicality and functionality for families. Standard running boards and in-cabin handles made entry and exit easy. The Armada's broad interior featured a new 12.3-inch touchscreen, though some controls were distant from the driver. The front seats were power-adjustable, with lumbar support, and the second-row captain's chairs in higher trims provided added comfort. The third-row seating was less comfortable for adults but suitable for short trips. The Armada offered 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 49.9 cubic feet behind the second row, and 95.4 cubic feet with both rows folded. The high load floor made loading and unloading challenging for petite adults. Small-item storage was limited, with the center console storage bin being the exception.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan featured the next-generation Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB3) platform starting with the SE trim. MIB3 included an 8-inch touchscreen, faster processing, and expanded features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi for up to four devices, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Car-Net connected services offered remote engine starting, automatic crash notification, and Family Guardian settings. The SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims featured Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation. However, the voice recognition technology and standard six-speaker sound system had some shortcomings, with the SEL Premium R-Line getting a nine-speaker Fender premium audio system.

The 2021 Nissan Armada received a tech upgrade with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, the largest in its class. Standard features included navigation, a six-speaker stereo, satellite radio, Bluetooth, USB Type-A and Type-C ports, a WiFi hotspot, NissanConnect Services, keyless entry with push-button start, Android Auto, and wireless Apple CarPlay. Available features included a wireless charging pad, 13-speaker Bose audio system, rearview camera mirror, and a second-row entertainment system. The Armada Platinum trim came with all these features as standard. The analog tachometer and speedometer, along with a functional steering wheel, provided limited control of the driver information screen and infotainment system functions.

The 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan came equipped with the IQ Drive collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Starting with the SE trim, adaptive cruise control was included, while the SEL added lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist. The SEL Premium R-Line featured automatic high-beam headlights and front and rear parking sensors. The adaptive cruise control demonstrated smooth braking but was slow to accelerate when traffic cleared. Lane-keep assist was effective but inconsistent, and the blind-spot warning indicator was easy to see. The Tiguan's parking sensors were sensitive, sometimes causing unnecessary automatic braking. The standard reversing camera provided a clear view, with a top-down surround-view available on the SEL Premium R-Line. Car-Net connected services offered additional safety features like automatic collision notification and Family Guardian alerts. The IIHS awarded the Tiguan a "Top Safety Pick" rating for the SEL and SEL Premium R-Line trims, while the NHTSA had not published complete crash-test results.

The 2021 Nissan Armada had not been fully rated by the IIHS and NHTSA, but it received a three-star rollover rating from the NHTSA due to its 23.7-percent rollover risk. The Armada came standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking. The lane departure warning system was overly sensitive, while the automatic high beams were slow to activate. Additional standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear door alert. Buyers could add a rear camera mirror and surround-view camera system. However, the Armada did not offer advanced driving assist technologies like Nissan ProPilot Assist or Super Cruise.